Saturday, August 29, 2009

If you were in a band and put out singles and records fromthe late 50's to about 1970, I really want to talk to you!I'm doing an article about early rock music from Wisconsinand hope it is published in a magazine. Please contact mevia garage66@live.com ,tell me what band you were in, andlets take a trip back in time. I'm really looking for bands thatmight have recorded on Wright Records, Cuca & Sara Records,Target Records, Tee Pee Records, Trend, Feature,Coulee,Rampro, Dynamic Sound, Big Sound, Pentagon, and any othersmaller labels, and no matter what I still want to talk to you,because it's hard to get a feel for the times back then, withouttalking to someone from that time. I also want to talk to you,if you were a fan that went to a lot of shows, and have photos,records memorabilia, and anything to color this article. It wouldbe wonderful to talk to people that went to The Scene Club inMilwaukee,and tell me about the place,the bands,and anythingelse you'd like to talk about.Please write me soon.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Highs In The Mid-60's Volume 15 Wisconsin Part Two has fifteenmore tracks of Wonderful Wisconsin sounds.. This particularvolume came out in the mid 1980's, and was part of a seriesof twenty-eight volumes of music from the early to mid sixties.Some of the other volumes concentrate on other states, for example:there's three volumes for California (the largest music concentration,they also had more radio stations dedicated to music)a couple for Michigan, one volume for Colorado,2 or 3 volumes for the Northwest (a real hotbed of music)there's one focusing on Illinois bands, but surprisingly two forWisconsin (Go Wisconsin bands!). And this is like many ofthe other volumes, it's focuses on the lesser known bandsthat put out singles on small labels. Featured here are The Baroqueswith "Nothing Left To Do But Cry",The Shaprels "A Fool For Your Lies"are friendly easy to like pop music, then you get toGord's Horde with a song called "I Don't Care" andall hell breaks loose. A frenzy of keyboards and drums, recordedsomewhere in outer space, I believe. A song about a cheating girl,and basically he sulks and doesn't care what she does.The main theme of most teen/garage angst rock and roll songs.The Challengers are my favorite,perhaps it's the strange backwardssounding recording sound of "The Challengers Take A Ride OnThe Jefferson Airplane" the actual title is an ode to theSan Francisco band,and is a playful slice of psychedelia.And I always say, guys, please,more cowbell.The Family with "I Wanna Do It" is a dirty little song, filledwith innuendos,repeating "I wanna do it with you", "I wanna doit to you" easily the most basic,simple and unfortunately also aforgettable track.The Cannons with "Days Go By" attempt to harmonize with apop song that's somewhat forgettable. It does not stick toyou as soon as it's over with. But that's okay.The Wanderer's Rest go full bore with the folk rock song"You'll Forget",which has a fabulous Stonesy feel of(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction guitar hook in it. Fits right in1965,right at the top of the heap with other folk rockers The Turtles.The Mustard Men who are also a favorite ofmine with "I Lost My Baby", do a song with an R & B feel, andterrific call and response towards the end. They must have beenthe real deal live.They have a British Invasion Animals sound.The Impalas, do a fabulous snarling punk blues rock versionof "Spoonful". Just listen to the vocals, these guys mean it!Yes there's talent in Wisconsin, in the 1960's and these bandsprove it. Some of the music is primitive,but these are mostly teensmaking music,by themselves.They recorded it, and pressed theserecords, with little or no help from anyone giving them professionaldirection. Maybe that's why I like this, it's raw talent, and playing.The Spacemen with "Same Old Grind" is a direct copy of"I'm A Man", but you can't complain, since that's a great song to cover.It fits right there in garage rock heaven like the songs "Louie Louie"and "Gloria". Who can resist the simplicity and stomp value?I can't. The rest of the album is nothing really earth shaking or new.The Mid-Knighters perhaps are the odd ones,doing a sort ofoldy moldie styled "Charlena", it has a rockabilly and country feel.The band The Rehabilitation Cruise,has quite possibly the strangestname,and I'm still not sure what they are singing about in "Mini Skirts".I can't tell whether they like mini skirts or not. I keep listening toit and wearing a groove into it, but still...I don't get it.It will perhaps, remain the biggest mystery known to mankind.The Fugitives "Come On And Clap" sounds like a merging of severalclassic songs, with maybe a little bit of a Little Honda /Beach Boyscrescendo. What could be better? It blends the cars,girls,California,the sunshine happy clap along theme. Only it's in Wisconsin.Sample this wonderful album below for your own bad self.And stay tuned for more Wisconsin music. Wait until I drag outall of the polka records, I know you're excited.Highs Volume 15

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